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Credit: DisneyDisney has confirmed more changes for its Magic Kingdom theme park.
There’s lots of fun and excitement to be had at the Walt Disney World Resort, especially at the Magic Kingdom, which has remained the resort’s most popular theme park for decades.
Filled with iconic dark rides like Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Peter Pan’s Flight, as well as thrilling roller coasters like Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a morning, day, or night at the Magic Kingdom is hard to beat.
However, Magic Kingdom isn’t open 24/7, meaning it’s crucial for guests to make the most out of their time at the park. Magic Kingdom typically closes at 10 p.m., though operations change based on the time of year. The park usually opens at 9 a.m. Select guests can enjoy early access starting at 8:30 a.m.
Thirteen hours may sound like a long time, but trust us, a day at any Disney theme park flies by. Thankfully, Disney has confirmed that its Magic Kingdom theme park will be open later starting this summer.
Disney World Adding Extra Hours to Magic Kingdom This August
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Disney World’s calendar shows that after-hours are returning to the Magic Kingdom. Beginning August 13, Magic Kingdom will remain open until midnight. This benefit will be exclusive to deluxe resort guests.
Guests will also be able to enjoy Extended Evening Hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on the following dates:
- July 2, 2025
- July 9, 2025
- July 16, 2025
- July 23, 2025
- July 30, 2025
- August 6, 2025
Extended Evening Hours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The biggest benefit of extra hours is lower wait times, meaning guests don’t have to wait as long for bigger attractions like Space Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, and Flight of Passage.
Extended Evening Hours are available to guests staying at deluxe resorts and other select hotels.
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Big things are in store for the Magic Kingdom, with the park set to receive one of its most significant overhauls in history. Disney plans to bring the world of Pixar’s Cars franchise to life inside Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. This new area of the park, Piston Peak, will feature a new “E-ticket” ride similar to Radiator Springs Racers in Disneyland, as well as a handful of new attractions/locations to discover.
While exciting, this project has proven quite controversial among Disney theme park fans due to what will need to close to allow this expansion. Tom Sawyer Island, the Liberty Square Riverboat, and the Rivers of America will all be closing to make room for Magic Kingdom’s new Cars area, a decision that has left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths.
While not the most popular attractions at the park, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat are classic Disney theme park experiences through and through and have been a part of the Magic Kingdom for decades.
The Rivers of America, the park’s artificial body of water, has also been there for decades, cutting up and dividing Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland into distinct sections while also providing some incredible views.
These closures will undoubtedly forever alter the way Magic Kingdom looks and feels, though many have now come around to Disney’s ambitious and bold Cars project.
Earlier this week, the company revealed more information about these upcoming closures and the new area, sharing concept art of Piston Peak. With this image, guests can get a better idea of what the Magic Kingdom will look like once the project is complete.
Exact timelines have not been shared, but Magic Kingdom’s transformation is expected to take multiple years to complete.
Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for all Walt Disney World news updates.